Five Years in Orbit First Algerian DMC Satellite AlSAT-1

Algeria celebrates the 5th anniversary of its first satellite, AlSAT-1 which marked the beginning of the country’s national space programme. Five years on, the African nation not only benefits from improved cartography, pollution monitoring and petrology information, but also makes a significant contribution to international disaster response.

AlSAT-1 was launched on 28th November 2002 following the creation of the Algerian Space Agency (ASAL) by presidential decree on the 16th January 2002. British company SSTL built AlSAT-1 and provided training for engineers from the Centre National des Techniques Spatiales (CNTS) as part of a development and training programme that helped the country take its first steps into space.

AlSAT-1 was the first satellite in the 5-satellite Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC). Under the coordination of SSTL’s subsidiary, DMCii Ltd, DMC satellite owners share image data and the infrastructure required to operate their satellite.